Nov 14, 2012

These bite sized pecan tarts are the perfect "skinny" replacement for pecan pie this holiday season! They are so easy to make, and really good!

Traditional pecan pie can set you back about 480 calories! These mini tarts, are only 68 calories each, even if you eat two you are still ahead of the game! I found this neat Thanksgiving calorie counter that totals your calories and tells you how many miles you need to walk to burn them off.

Luckily I've lightened up so many Thanksgiving favorites, you can see them all here: Lightened Up Thanksgiving Recipe Index from cranberry sauce, stuffing, pumpkin pie and lots of leftover ideas.

I'm in a bit of a panic that Thanksgiving is next week! Losing power for two weeks really set me back and quite honestly, after a few days of dealing with long gas lines, no power, no traffic lights, no supermarkets, no school, no gym, I really started to lose track of time (I think I need a vacation).

Pecan pie has been requested quite a bit, so when I stumbled on these mini pecan tarts, I thought I would try them with some minor tweaks.

I loved how they turned out and they are so stinking easy, even a beginner baker can make them. If you're in charge of dessert this Thanksgiving, give these a try, you can double the recipe to make 30.

In a medium mixing bowl, combine all ingredients except pecans. Mix well. Stir in chopped pecans. Arrange mini shells on a baking sheet. Fill mini shells with one heaping teaspoon of pecan mixture. If any of the mixture remains, distribute evenly between all the shells.

Thank you for these. I'm in charge of the Pecan Pies this year at my in-laws house and I think these will be great for little finger desserts! My father's tradition recipes takes hours to make and so this will be a great change. I will still have to make the originals for all the people who don't really like change. :) Thank you again.

Very random question. Can you use the sheets of phyllo dough instead of the little shells? I mean, obviously you CAN but how? I have 3 boxes in my freezer from forever ago and holy mother, I have got to get rid of those things. I was actually going to do mini pecan pies anyway and never thought about using the sheets.

I have done it before, but it's a pain. First you must cut down the sheets to just slightly larger than your mini muffin tins and then spray cooking sprays between each layer (I would use at least three). Bake crusts for 7-8 minutes, then remove and let cool before filling and then bake on baking sheet as per directions. One thing I learned about this recipe is not to overfill the cups. They lose their shape and the filling burns when it hits the pan. Overall, though, this has been a holiday hit with my family and nobody misses the pecan pie!

Dear Shoe:I just thought of some things you can do with those extra phyllo sheets - I have used 5-6 as a substitute for pie crust when making quiche. Spray cooking spray between layers and trim ends that overhang the pie. Also works for a crust for a chicken pot pie or for a brie en croute. Place 5-6 sheets down, spread a little raspberry jam, chopped nuts, dried cranberries in the center and place a small wheel of brie on top. Wrap the brie with the pastry and then place seam side down on baking sheet and bake until crispy and brown - yum!

I think you could make these with the sheets. Lay out your phyllo dough and brush the 1st layer lightly with melted butter.Just grab a mini muffin tin and cut squares of phyllo to fit. 2.5" to 3" squares should be about the right size. You will need 3 or 4 layers of phyllo per individual "cup". Just layer the squares in the cups and pre-bake for 10 minutes or so. Fill and bake the rest of the way according to recipe.

Thanks for this - I have some phyllo sheets in my freezer which I bought on accident for a chicken pot pie recipe (disaster) and I think I will try to use them for this recipe! Glad to know they won't go to waste!

They don't get soggy. I made them Friday for a party and had leftovers for another party on Sunday. I made my husband try one just in case before packing them up, he said they were still delicious. Then I till had a few left over and my MIL had on one on Tuesday- Still good!

Thanks for the help! My first Skinny Taste comment :) I love the food. I've been making ST recipes for 5 months now and everyone thinks I'm an amazing cook. Little do they know, I'm just following Skinny Taste.

I am SO excited about this recipe!! I'll give it a test run this weekend. I seriously love pecan pie and I've been trying so hard to figure out how I can enjoy it this year. Thank you thank you THANK YOU!

I made something similar last year that was a pumpkin pecan tart (dollop of pumpkin pie like filling in the bottom with pecan filling on top) in the phyllo shells but I did find that the shells got soggy very quickly and didn't have the crispness I wanted in the crust. Mine was definitely not a make ahead thing. Best eaten shortly after they had finished baking.

Hi! I just wanted to say how much I love your site. My fiance was infected with MRSA a four years ago and after two months in a coma, had a lot of PT to do and a lot of subsequent problems. He gained a lot of weight in the interim, as did I after I broke my back last spring. We decided to work as a couple to get healthy starting in June, after he had gained almost 100 pounds and I had gained about 30. We were really worried about finding recipes that were delicious (I used to cook from the Pioneer Woman, conventional crock pot books, Betty Crocker... I loved 'em all) because we love to cook together and it's a big part of our lives. Anyway, I just wanted to say that your website has been INCREDIBLY helpful and we are continually amazed with how you have taken many of our favorite things (cajun chicken pasta! asian wings!) and made them "skinny" without sacrificing flavor. We have never had a "miss" from your site and we are so thankful for this resource. Keep up your phenomenal work, you are really helping a lot of people I am sure!

I came here from Pintrest to check out this recipe and came across your post. I must say it is very moving. I'm glad you were able to get through it,and I wish both of you the best life can bring you for years to come!

this is probably a DUHHHHumb question..are they a wheat product? serious gluten issue's I just learned...oyyyy. LOVE your recipes Gina...you are WONDERFUL! I spread it all over my WW group to a VERY receptive & grateful group! Thanks mucho!!

Last year I am proud to say that I had a "Skinny" Thanksgiving. My family loved it, and I loved the fact that it was good for us! This year we will not have my Great Granny with us to make her Pecan Pie. But this will be an excellent substitute!

Hmmm...wonder if they'd freeze ok. I'm the only one that eats pecan pie and I LOVE it, but can't make a whole pie since no one else will eat it. This could be perfect especially if it can freeze and I have have them all to myself...

I love pecan pie but feel so guilty eating it! In addition to the pecan pie I'm taking on Thanksgiving, I'm going to get the phyllo shells and make these mini-tarts too. I can't wait to try them - so cute! I'm sure I won't be the only one appreciating a healthy alternative on Thanksgiving.

I make something similar for the holidays every year for my friend's fraternity, but I add a couple of semi-sweet chocolate chips on top! Anyone who had a nut allergy got fresh fruit topped with powdered sugar. Perfect for the holidays! Keep it up, Gina, I check your blog every day, follow you on twitter and tell all my friends and family about your site! Super inspiring and SUPER delicious, everytime!

These look great! I'm going to make them with my mom this weekend! I was wondering when you were going to post a lightened-up pecan pie recipe! Cooking Light actually has a light pecan pie recipe with oatmeal. It's delicious. You should check it out.

Gina,I tried these tonight. They were wonderful and so easy to whip up. My kids just loved them. I've tried so many of your recipes and they have all been great. It's so refreshing to make tasty food that are healthy.Thank You!Linda

Yep, I too tried these out tonight. Came together super quickly and are very tasty! I couldn't find Athens brand tart shells at my grocery store so I used the store brand. I'm not sure if it was the difference in brand, but I think next time I might try these in a more quiche/tart type crust, rather than the flaky phyllo shells. The filling is absolutely great though :) The challenge is not devouring the whole batch!

I just made these exactly as the recipe called for. The are DELICIOUS! We are not huge pecan pie fans here but me and my husband LOVE them! I actually like them much better than regular pecan pie. Might be the honey! Mine leaked onto the baking sheet and we both LOVE the leaky pie filling baked onto my pan, LOL. I might experiment with pumpkin pie filling. I am definitely going to make a double batch for any pot lucks or gatherings we are invited to this holiday season! Thank you so much Gina!

I can't wait to make this recipe! I am actually going to make 15 of these and try, with the second box I bought, to make a baklava version with the same ingredients but possibly add cinnamon and clove? hmmm, need to check traditional baklava recipe. Love both so we shall see how they turn out.

I'm going to my parents' house for thanksgiving, but would love to make these. For those that have made them, did they keep until the next day? My thought was to maybe premix the filling and bring that with the shells to their house and just bake them after dinner since its such a short cooking time.

I too am wondering if they'll keep if I make them Wednesday. I'm concerned as I don't know that phyllo would hold up overnight and last-minute oven time is at a premium on Thanksgiving day, but I just HAVE to try these!

Just like all other Skinnytaste recipes I've tried, this was AMAZING! It will totally fill the void left by the lack of pecan pie if you are trying to abstain and save yourself the calories!

The only recommendation I have is to LINE YOUR BAKING SHEET (with wax paper or whatever)! Inevitably, some of the tasty filling will leak out and it will cause it's neighboring shells to stick and they will be tricky to get off. HOWEVER, similar to the "broken cookie" problem around x-mas time, the broken ones are a WELCOME treat to the baker :)

I made these over the weekend for a thanksgiving potluck and they were fantastic. Super fast and easy to make. I doubled the recipe and they were all eaten quickly with rave reviews. My only issue is that I wanted to eat all of them.

They hold together well. I made them the night before then brought half the batch to work so I wouldn't eat them all. They keep overnight and they don't get soggy. I did bake the shells fro 4 minutes before filling them though, so that might have added some fortitude.

I have never commented before, but I must say I made these for the first time tonight as a pick me up surprise for my boyfriend's not so good day at work AND WE LOVE THEM! Reminded me of eating a friend's pecan tarts but for WAY less calories! This is a must try for anyone thinking of making this recipe!!!!

Wow! It's like you read my mind. I'm so excited to try this recipe. I'm in charge of dessert for our family Thanksgiving and I was depressed knowing I would have to cook a pecan pie and not be able to eat it. (I'm determined to stay on my diet during the holidays!) Now I want have to feel deprived. Thank you, thank you, thank you! -kc

I just made a batch to give to friends for Thanksgiving. Tomorrow I will be going to the store to get more shells for two more batches! These are wonderful for anyone who likes pecan pie but not the caloric price tag!

I just wanted to thank people for the instructions on the sheets. We have a Jay C and Walmart here and NEITHER sale them. I checked and asked workers. The next closest store is an hour away and since these are all I need.. I don't want to waste the gas driving there... but I did find the sheets and I am going to try it that way. Thanks! :)

We (myself and my 5 and 2 year old) just tested these out- they are FANTASTIC! Your recipes are always wonderful! My 2 year old managed to get a hold on the salt shaker while he was ''helping" me cook and gave a light salt sprinkle to the shells - I was mildly irritated with him, but those were actually the best ones! :) I can't wait to make these for other people!

We (myself and my 5 and 2 year old) just tested these out- they are FANTASTIC! Your recipes are always wonderful! My 2 year old managed to get a hold on the salt shaker while he was ''helping" me cook and gave a light salt sprinkle to the shells - I was mildly irritated with him, but those were actually the best ones! :) I can't wait to make these for other people!

Just made two batches to take to Mom's today at lunch time...hope they make it until then! Yummmmm! Fattening pecan pie is in the oven for others. I will defiently be using this recipe again. I did not have a soggy bottom sorry to above cannot help...did have a few spill over but not too bad. I think I might sprinkle in pecans first next time and then fill with filler.

These look delicious and so easy to make! I gave it a trial run last weekend and they tasted delicious! Very addicting in fact.:) Will be making them as well for Thanksgiving to share with others.Thank you for your delicious recipes!

I don't know why I didn't think of it earlier but next time I think I will put these in a muffin tin to bake. All my phyllo shells expanded, some even leaked out the filling. But otherwise they were a hit, just not real pretty.

Made these for today, and as usual your recipe doesn't disappoint. I am diabetic, and have a crazy bad sweet tooth, and pecan pie is my absolute to die for favorite. I can eat a couple of these and not feel guilty at all, and it satisfies, completely. Thanks again. :)

Can I say Thank you for the most excellent print page program I have ever used on a recipe site? Thank you for making my morning easier! lol! Great recipe..of course I HAD to add mini chocolate chips to the mix..:)~Linda

Pecan pie is my favorite. I could eat 2 by myself. So, I made these. We forgot to add the butter, and they still turned out good. So now, I could eat 2 pans of these :) They are TOO good. Even my sis who doesn't like pecan pie's liked them.

My family loved these tarts. My husband is diabetic and loves pecan pie so these satisfied and were still a healthy choice for him. I try to make one recipe from your site every week and haven't been disappointed. Thank you Gina!

These are WONDERFUL! I doubled the recipe for Thanksgiving and there weren't any left. Made another double batch and they are gone again. Definately have become a family favorite and better option to pecan pie.

Thank you Gina for a delicious, low calorie alternative for my favorite pecan pie!! Now I can take care of the craving without the guilt =) Also, they were sooo easy to make and my son (who doesn't care for pecan pie) loved them!

These were AMAZING. I tripled the recipe so I could divide between my moms and mother-in-laws on Thanksgiving. So- I made 45, and ate 11 of them before I could even bring them anywhere. Then I ate more at my mother-in-laws house. Needless to say I was UP three pounds this week, but toootally worth it. I cn never make these again, though. I can't control myself- they are THAT good.

I just started Weight Watchers, and these delightful treats truly satisfied my sweet craving. And, I love the fact that you provide the point values!! Thanks, and I look forward to trying many more of your recipes.

So, last night we had a potluck Christmas party to attend. I signed up to bring veggie tray and dessert. Little did the other guests know that the mini pecan pie tarts they kept raving about were WW friendly and from Skinnytaste.com. LOL

I made them at Thanksgiving and they were a big hit with my family so I thought I'd bring them and it would give me some dessert that was WW friendly to have during the party. Well, that was the only dessert that everyone kept eating! haha!!

They are so quick and easy to make, if you haven't tried them and you like pecan pie I highly recommend you try them.

These were a BIG hit when I took them to work....especially when they found out they were WW friendly! Have the oven preheating to make them today for Christmas Eve! Thanks for your hard work and wonderful site!

I am in Love with your site.All your recipes look Wonderful!!! Last week I went to a weight watchers meeting and told them about a site called slenderkitchen.com that I discovered and this week I can tell them about you, skinnytaste.com. I am so excited. All your recipes look sooo good that I want one of everything. All at the same time!!!! I think that would defeat my weight watchers meetings. Hee Hee.

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I made these (well, kinda) today. I made the cups myself with 4 layers of phyllo each and butter in between them. I baked them for about 5 minutes. In the meantime I combined craisins, sliced almonds and since honey is too sweet for me I added a dash of pomegranate-cranberry juice. I took out the shells, added a tiny cube of brie and a spoonful of the almond mixture. They were a hit! Thanks for the recipe Gina, you make me look like I actually know how to cook.

Can these be made ahead of time? Meaning, if I make these the day before Thanksgiving and then keep them in the fridge, will they get soggy? Or can they be stored at room temperature and be OK for the next day? LOVE all your recipes, Gina!!

I made these yesterday for our family dinner and they were a big hit - I think everyone loves a poppable dessert :) I may or may not have had several for breakfast this morning as well... thanks so, so much for the recipe!

Tried this last night for a small gathering with friends and they came out great. The kids loved them - they were gone in no time. Best part is they're super easy to make. Can't go wrong with this one!